Surprising Facts about Ovarian Cancer
Facts about ovarian cancer: Oncologists and researchers see ovarian cancer as a big challenge to them.
Ovarian cancer is a silent killer. It progresses aggressively, either causing less life-threatening symptoms or no symptoms at all.
Research
Scientists are studying gene pathways, behavior, and functions.
They are also studying the disruptions in the normal genetic functions that can lead to cancer.
Scientists are gaining deeper insights into how hormonal and genetic factors play a key role in cancer growth.
Researchers and scientists are in the process of finding new ways of screening.
SCREENING
There is no proper screening test to detect ovarian cancer in the early stages.
The detection of ovarian cancer in the early stages can make a huge difference to treatment and prognosis.
Gene sequence studies and analysis help in evaluating the future risk of ovarian cancer.
Proteomics (the study of the pattern of proteins) is gaining momentum to come up with ways of detecting ovarian cancers early.
Symptoms
Women ignore these symptoms: stomach disturbances, constipation, gas, and bloating. Owing to this, many women think that these symptoms are due to less life-threatening digestive problems. Therefore, a majority of women tend to ignore the warning signs and thus delay consulting an oncologist.
Diagnosis of ovarian cancer
Functional MRI and PET/CT scans are also being studied to see where they may be best used for ovarian cancer.
Only 20% of ovarian cancers are diagnosed before they spread beyond the ovaries.
Nearly about 80% of women miss the diagnosis.
The five-year survival rate is sluggish due to late diagnosis.
Facts about ovarian cancer – Treatment
There is a significant advancement in the surgical and chemotherapy-based treatment approaches of ovarian cancer.
The biggest challenge is a slow response to chemotherapy.
There is a lack of effective second-line therapy for women who experience episodes of remission and relapse.
